I remember being totally creeped out by Mr Banks when (trying) to read the Wasp Factory as a young teenager, but it really was the Culture novels that blew me away. Loved the ship names and the interplay between them… for three tier hyperminds there were some some awfully idiosyncratic personalities 🙂
Excession was probably my favorite. Special circumstances indeed….
Aggressive Logistics 
Indeed 😦 One of my favorite writers since I discovered him a few years back.
I remember being totally creeped out by Mr Banks when (trying) to read the Wasp Factory as a young teenager, but it really was the Culture novels that blew me away. Loved the ship names and the interplay between them… for three tier hyperminds there were some some awfully idiosyncratic personalities 🙂
Excession was probably my favorite. Special circumstances indeed….